missile

English

A selection of missiles (military)

Etymology

From French missile, from Latin missilis (“that may be thrown”), neuter missile (“a weapon to be thrown, a javelin”), in plural missilia (“presents thrown among the people by the emperors”), from mittere (“to send”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) enPR: mĭsʹīl, IPA(key): /ˈmɪsaɪl/
  • (US, Canada) enPR: mĭsʹīl, mĭsʹəl, IPA(key): /ˈmɪsaɪl/, /ˈmɪsəl/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (UK)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪsaɪl, -ɪsəl

Noun

missile (plural missiles)

  1. Any object used as a weapon by being thrown or fired through the air, such as stone, arrow or bullet.
    The Rhodians, who used leaden bullets, were able to project their missiles twice as far as the Persian slingers, who used large stones.
  2. (military) A self-propelled projectile whose trajectory can be adjusted after it is launched.
    That missile is explosive enough to kill hundreds.

Translations

See also

Further reading

  • missile in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • missile in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mi.sil/

Noun

missile m (plural missiles)

  1. missile

Further reading

Italian

Noun

missile m (plural missili)

  1. missile

Adjective

missile (masculine and feminine plural missili)

  1. missile (attributive)

Latin

Adjective

missile

  1. nominative neuter singular of missilis
  2. accusative neuter singular of missilis
  3. vocative neuter singular of missilis
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